Essentially all large scale pulsed-power systems are based upon capacitive energy storage in which closing switches initiate discharge through low impedance loads. Such systems are inherently inefficient because of 1) the impedance mismatch between capacitive storage and inductive loads, 2) the pulse forming steps required to achieve the desired pulse compression for fast rise-time, short-duration pulses, 3) the low energy density of available electrostatic capacitors, and 4) the enormous investment (in terms of volume, cost, and maintenance) associated with physically large high-voltage systems. Systems based on inductive energy storage would offer tremendous advantages in these areas because of 1) better impedance matching would immediately lead to ˜5-10× improved efficiency in energy delivery to inductive loads, 2) achieving ns or faster rise times in a single stage would eliminate the need for pulse compression architecture and associated losses, 3) inductive energy storage offers ˜1000× higher achievable energy densities than capacitive energy storage, and 4) with an effective opening switch, high voltages are only present briefly during switching and only at the switch and load rather than across the entire system for the entirety of operation. Inductive energy storage and associated systems, however, require opening switches (an opening switch interrupts the flow of current whereas a closing switch enables current to flow), and the only presently available high power opening switches are single use and/or unreliable and therefore inappropriate for implementation in a large-scale inductive energy storage system.
Therefore, a need exists for a reliable, multi-use high power solid-state opening switch.